Ben Stewart steps aside in Kelowna for B.C. Premier Christy Clark

Jonathan Fowlie, THE VANCOUVER SUN06.06.2013

Westside-Kelowna MLA Ben Stewart, left, announces that he is stepping down from his MLA job and minister of citizen services and open government as Premier Christy Clark listens at Quails Gate Winery in Kelowna, B.C. on Wednesday June 5, 2013.Gary Nylander
/ HE CANADIAN PRESS/Kelowna Daily Courier

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Premier Christy Clark declared a symbolic return to what she called the “cradle of free enterprise,” announcing on Wednesday she will run for a seat in an Okanagan riding once represented by popular Social Credit premiers W.A.C. Bennett and Bill Bennett.

The move came as cabinet minister Ben Stewart announced he would immediately surrender the Liberal stronghold of Westside-Kelowna that he reclaimed last month with more than 58 per cent of the vote.

“I want to ensure the premier gets a chance to deliver on not just a vision, but on some of the real things that we need to do for British Columbia,” said Stewart at a press conference Wednesday, where he at times fought back tears.

“I’m pleased to be able to make the riding of Westside-Kelowna available to Premier Christy Clark.”

Clark needs a seat in the legislature because she lost Vancouver-Point Grey to the NDP’s David Eby.

First elected in 2009, Stewart won Westside-Kelowna in the recent election by more than 6,000 votes over the NDP’s Carole Gordon.

Clark did not say exactly when she will call the Kelowna byelection, but indicated it will be within the next week, meaning the vote will take place in early-to-mid July.

When Clark does call the byelection, Adrian Dix said she can expect a challenge from the New Democrats.

“Obviously the premier selected this seat based on the results in the recent general election, and that’s fair enough,” Dix said Wednesday.

“We’re going to run a strong local candidate and let the people decide.”

The NDP has never won a provincial election in the riding.

Green party leader Jane Sterk said her party will not run a candidate in the byelection.

“The B.C. Liberals won the May 14th election decisively and the riding of Westside-Kelowna by a wide margin,” Sterk said in a news release.

“We wish the premier success in the byelection and in the upcoming session of the legislature.”

Stewart’s riding of Westside-Kelowna includes a significant portion of the area represented by both Bill Bennett and, before him, by his father W.A.C. Bennett.

Stewart’s announcement Wednesday came exactly 40 years to the day after W.A.C. retired from what was then called South Okanagan. That move by Bennett, which came when Dave Barrett was premier, made way for a byelection in the riding that Bill Bennett eventually won.

Clark represented a Port Moody riding in her first stint in provincial politics, meaning if she wins the coming byelection, Westside-Kelowna would become her third riding.

On Wednesday, Clark said she had offers since the election from multiple Liberal MLAs who were willing to step aside, but she chose Stewart because his riding felt like “the most natural.”

“To me, Kelowna is a natural political home for me and the values that I believe in. This is the cradle of free enterprise,” said Clark, who promised to “create a second residence” in the Okanagan riding if she wins the byelection.

“You think of the visions that W.A.C. Bennett brought to growing our province and the vision that Bill Bennett brought to controlling government spending and keeping taxes low for the people here,” added Clark.

“I hope that with the blessing of the people from Westside-Kelowna, I can be the third premier to bring a vision to British Columbia from this community.”

Monuments to the two Social Credit premiers remain throughout Kelowna.

In downtown Kelowna, the W.A.C. Bennett clock celebrates the 20 years he was premier.

Kelowna drivers who cross Okanagan Lake do so over the William R. Bennett Bridge.

Brad Bennett, son of Bill Bennett and grandson of W.A.C. Bennett, said the connection in the community is strong.

“I think any area that has a premier representing it has a certain sense of pride. I think it’s more than just bricks and mortar. It becomes a part of the culture and the fabric,” he said in an interview Wednesday.

Bennett was at Clark’s side during the recent election campaign, riding the Liberal bus for the entire 28 days.

On Wednesday, he said he believes it’s fitting that Clark should seek to represent the riding.

“The Okanagan is the heart of free enterprise in the province and the party she represents as leader,” he said.

“I think it’s significant. I think it’s more than just symbolic. I think it’s true to the values on which she ran that are so entrenched in this area and in its history.”

Bennett has also known Stewart since he was about three years old.

He said Stewart responded to a request made by Clark’s team to several Liberal MLAs — asking if they would consider giving up a seat — with an email indicating he would stand down if needed.

Bennett said Stewart was “surprised” when Clark called on Tuesday night to accept his offer, though he stood by his commitment to do so.

“Ben’s answer to me is: ‘She went to bat for everybody, took all the heat and all the crap, proved everybody wrong and won the war for the party that she represents’ and he felt bad that she didn’t win her own seat,” said Bennett.

“He felt it was the honourable thing for him to do to offer his up.”

Stewart owns Quails’ Gate Winery, a business he founded with his wife in 1989.

Before becoming an MLA, Stewart was chair of the B.C. Grape Marketing Board and chairman of the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee for the Thompson Okanagan. He was also a member of the Presidents Community Advisory Council at UBC Okanagan.

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Ben Stewart steps aside in Kelowna for B.C. Premier Christy Clark

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